The Kiss
by Friend to All
Summary: Aria has not been able to keep Jason out of her thoughts. Jason is suffering from the same affliction. Just one decision, one kiss can change everything.
1. Aria

A/N: This is written for day seven of Jaria Appreciation Week on tumblr. It is free choice day so I decided to fix one moment when Aria could have chosen Jason instead of Ezra. This is obviously AU but I did directly pull the beginning dialogue from the episode and for that I take no credit. This is Aria's point of view and shortly I will be posting Jason's point of view to complete this story. Please excuse any spelling or grammar errors. Since I wrote this and am posting it all in one day I do not think it is my best work but it is passable. Please review and let me know what you think. =)

Warnings: Swearing.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended. This is not written for profit.

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_A kiss is a lovely trick, designed by nature, to stop words when speech becomes unnecessary. __**- Ingrid Bergman**_

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Aria found herself running from his haunting words in her dreams all day so she was not surprised to hear Jason's voice calling her name. She was nervous being around him alone even if they were out on the street. Her heart picked up speed and butterflies danced in her stomach. A feeling she once only associated with Ezra. Nerves and all she turned to greet him.

"Taking a study break?" Ugh, that was such an awful lie. Aria was sure Jason saw through her the moment she started speaking but she knew at the time it was best for her to be away from him so she would stick with her story.

"More like a sugar break." She indicated the bag in her hand and the butterflies increased as he stepped out and away from his car toward her.

"Sounds like more fun then what I've been up to. Had to buy a pad lock for my shed. Somebody broke in today." Aria's mind whirled with the information, anything to distract her from his close proximity.

"Really?" She was surprised that someone would do that and her first thought was of course Mike. She missed the days when he was not the top of her suspect list for breaking and entering.

"Yeah." Jason sounded frustrated and she wondered if anything precious to him was taken. Then she remembered it could not have been Mike. He was holed up in his bedroom still.

"Well, it couldn't of been Mike. He hasn't even left his bedroom since Thursday."

"I didn't go there." From the look on his face she knew Jason meant it. Somehow that set those butterflies fluttering ten times faster.

"Listen, I'm glad I bumped into you. I was hoping we could talk." Aria knew she was in dangerous territory but nodded her head so Jason would continue. "I hope I didn't step out of bounds earlier. I really was trying to help."

"No. You didn't." How was she supposed to ease his worry without telling Jason that he made her nervous because she wanted him. Always better off with a good lie right? Maybe just a half-truth. "I just have a lot going on right now. So..." Aria left the sentence hanging not really knowing where she was going with that thought. Looking back into his eyes Aria could see he was gathering his courage. For what she could only wait and see.

"The truth is I do care about your brother, but I also care about you." Her breath hitched, did he just say what she thought he said? "And I wanted to tell you in the off chance that you might feel the same way."

Jason closed the distance between them slowly; likely giving her time to react and move away but she just could not bring herself to stop him. His hand cupped her face and his lips descended upon hers. It was a sweet gentle pressure, slowly inviting her to take part in the dance. Without meaning to she hesitantly kissed him back.

Her mind raced with thoughts. This felt so right and so wrong all at the same time. Jason was opening him self up to her, laying his heart at her feet to hold or to crush. A big part of her wanted to hold on and never let go. Something else was screaming at her that she could not do this to any of them though. Oh shit, Ezra. Aria almost pulled back then and said something. Almost told him she was not available to be kissed like this. The way he kissed her though, she felt like she was the most precious thing in the world to him. That gave her the assurance she need to kiss him back fully, consequences be damned.

Jason responded to her by letting his tongue glide across her bottom lip. Aria opened her mouth slipping her tongue out to slide against his. She dropped the bag she was carrying to wrap her arms up around his neck. When she did the hand he had on her face twined into her hair and the other curled around her waist bringing Aria closer to him. The new angle allowed him to deepen the kiss. Aria's mind was completely consumed by him. Nothing outside this kiss existed right now.

The kiss only ended when their lungs were burning from lack of oxygen. Panting they rested their foreheads together. Keeping her eyes closed Aria sorted through all her thoughts and feelings. She had a choice to make and it would be cruel to the man holding her not to have a real answer for him. Searching her heart she found the answers there just waiting for her to look.

Aria's eyes fluttered open and she melted at the affection shining at her in Jason's eyes. Stepping back out of his arms she knew this was going to be hard but she needed to do this right or not at all. She needed to remember to breathe if this was going to come out at all right. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Why not?" He sounded confused and more than a little hurt and Aria hated being the one to hurt him.

Deep breath again. Looking directly into his eyes so Jason could see she was telling the truth she explained, "I shouldn't have done that because I have a boyfriend and I shouldn't be kissing another guy especially like that."

Jason reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear making her heart flutter all over again. "Why did you then?"

"Because I want this. I want you." Breathe in and out. "I don't want to hurt either of you though by being with both of you. I won't do that." Aria refused to ever be her father. She could not hurt someone the way he hurt her mom.

"What does that mean then Aria?" He searched her face and spoke again before she could answer. "You want me but you don't want to let him, who ever he is, go?" Jason licked his lips hesitating before he said his next words, unconsciously making her want to kiss him again. Aria held back knowing they needed to have this conversation. "Or does it mean you're willing to try this with me? Whatever that entails."

He was doing it again, being open and vulnerable with her. How could she not care for him in return? "It means, tomorrow I have to break up with my boyfriend. Then maybe, if your willing, we can take things slow so that I can really let him go before we try moving forward together."

Jason's entire expression lit up with her words, finally settling into a soft smile. "Yeah, I would like that. I'll wait for you as long as you need me to. Just tell me please if he somehow changes your mind."

"He can't. Yes, I feel safe with him but I feel like you and I fit, if that makes sense. I promise you though that I will tell you. I don't want to be the reason for your pain." Aria meant every word. They did fit. She did not really ever get a chance to know Ezra before things were intense and crazy between them. With Jason, she had known him for most her life and these past few weeks they had grown close. Aria knew the other girls did not trust him but she did, completely.

"Thank you. It does make sense." Jason leaned down and picked up her discarded bag. "How about I drive you home?"

"Yeah, that would be great." Damn it, she just laid her soul bare for him and somehow Jason still made her feel like a shy school girl. As he opened her door then after she was in closed it and walked to the other side to get in himself she smiled to herself. Aria could not remember the last time she felt like the seventeen year old girl she was. She was not looking forward to the conversation she would soon have with Ezra but she was eager to see how this slow fall would play out. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought of getting to kiss him like that again. She was not sure she could wait.


	2. Jason

A/N: Once again this is written for day seven of Jaria Appreciation Week on tumblr. Here is Jason's point of view on the same corrected scene. I, of course, use the same dialogue I pulled from the episode in this version as well and still I take no credit for the writing of that. I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a review, I love to hear your thoughts. =D

Warnings: Swearing.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended. This is not written for profit.

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_A kiss is a lovely trick, designed by nature, to stop words when speech becomes unnecessary. __**- Ingrid Bergman**_

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Jason could not stop thinking about her so it came as no surprise that he thought the girl walking along the roadside was her. He was happy to find that it actually was Aria though. Slowing down and pulling to the side of the street she was on he called her name to gain her attention. He was glad there was no fear in her expression when she turned to greet him. She was skittish earlier today when he was speaking to her and he hoped there was nothing he had done to scare her. Noticing the bag she carried he decided to break the ice by playing along with her earlier horribly constructed lie. "Taking a study break?"

When Aria smiled his palms got sweaty thinking about what he really wanted to talk about with her. Jason could see she knew she was caught in the lie but was not going to give up. "More like a sugar break."

He needed to calm down a little if he was going to handle this like an adult and not a boy with a crush. Therefore, he decided to continue with the small talk. "Sounds like more fun then what I've been up to. Had to buy a pad lock for my shed. Somebody broke in today."

"Really?" She was just too cute for her own good. Or maybe that was too cute for his own good.

Running with his frustration from both the break in and not being able to focus in her presence he gave her a simple, "Yeah." as he approached her.

"Well, it couldn't of been Mike. He hasn't even left his bedroom since Thursday." Jason mentally kicked himself. He did not mean to imply that she might know something about it.

Pouring every ounce of sincerity into his words Jason tried to reassure her the thought did not even crossed his mind. "I didn't go there."

The grateful look she gave him gave him the courage he needed to say what he was feeling. "Listen, I'm glad I bumped into you. I was hoping we could talk." When Aria nodded he proceeded. "I hope I didn't step out of bounds earlier. I really was trying to help."

"No. You didn't." Aria seemed to be trying to find her words, "I just have a lot going on right now. So..." He was wrong before, she was not cute. Aria was beautiful. Obviously she was struggling with something but was not going to let anyone in to try to help because she was just that stubborn and independent. Maybe if he spoke up she might one day come to trust him enough to share that load.

Gathering his courage Jason took a deep breath then took the biggest risk he had ever taken to date. "The truth is I do care about your brother," time to jump, "but I also care about you. And I wanted to tell you in the off chance that you might feel the same way."

Slowly, as if approaching a scared animal, Jason crossed the distance between them. When Aria made no move to stop his advance he cupped her face with his hand and leaned down to capture her lips with his own. Jason made sure to be gentle with her, if he moved too fast he was sure she would run from him. Aria was hesitant but kissed him back. He never thought such a chaste kiss could feel so amazing. Fuck, he was in deep and had no idea how to save himself or even if he wanted to.

After a moment Aria seemed as if she was going to pull away only to press her lips more insistently against his. Encouraged by her actions Jason slipped his tongue out to taste her bottom lip. The feeling of her tongue sliding out then against his own sent him to the moon. Damn, he really was lost to her. Just one kiss and she had him waxing lyrical, this girl would be the end of him.

Jason barely heard the bag drop he was so focused on the kiss. Aria curled her arms around his neck and he just could not hold back any longer. The hand on her face tangled into her hair then he wrapped his other arm around her waist pulling her body against his and deepening the kiss. It felt so good just to hold her. Having her respond so passionately to him set fire running through his veins.

It took a moment for him to realize why his lungs were burning. Once the lack of oxygen registered he knew Aria must be feeling the same and broke the kiss. Breathing hard Jason rested his forehead against hers. Her eyes were still closed giving him time to memorize her features at close proximity. Yes, beautiful is definitely the right word. Aria's eyes opened and set Jason aflame with the heat in them. He always thought people were being overly romantic when they said they missed someone's warmth the second they were no longer in their arms but the moment she stepped out of his arms he knew just what they meant.

"I shouldn't have done that." Jason's heart dropped. What did she just say?

Pain and confusion swirled inside him. Why not? Why should she not have kissed him? It felt perfect to him. "Why not?" Did he say that out loud? Shit, he need to keep calm and focus on what she was saying.

Concentrating, Jason noticed that Aria appeared to be fighting to get this out correctly. Her eyes locked with his as she spoke again, "I shouldn't have done that because I have a boyfriend and I shouldn't be kissing another guy especially like that."

Reading between the lines he heard what she was not saying to him. That kiss meant something. Even if she should not have done it, it meant something. Jason reached out to tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "Why did you then?"

"Because I want this. I want you." Did she have any idea of the roller coaster of emotions she was leading him on right now? Jason could only hope that meant what he thought it did. Aria kept speaking, "I don't want to hurt either of you though by being with both of you. I won't do that." She has such a good heart, one of many reasons he finds it so easy to be open with her. He would have done it if she asked, it would have hurt but Jason would take whatever Aria was willing to offer him.

"What does that mean then Aria?" He had to know, needed to understand. "You want me but you don't want to let him, who ever he is, go?" Jason realized then that he hated someone he did not even know because he might be all that stood between him and this wonderful girl. Hoping against hope he threw his heart at her feet again. "Or does it mean you're willing to try this with me? Whatever that entails."

Aria smiled at him softly then somehow easing every fear Jason felt without a sound. "It means," She bit her lip here, distracting him. Holding onto every thread of self control he still possessed Jason quelled the urge to kiss her again. "Tomorrow I have to break up with my boyfriend." Again he suppressed an urge this time not only to kiss her but also to shout happily. Aria looked at him from beneath her lashes; she never looked more beguiling. "Then maybe, if your willing, we can take things slow so that I can really let him go before we try moving forward together."

Seeing her be just as open with him as he was with her thus far calmed him. Jason was still ecstatic but Aria need to know that he was not going anywhere anytime soon. "Yeah, I would like that. I'll wait for you as long as you need me to." Swallowing hard he wanted to give her one last out, "Just tell me, please, if he somehow changes your mind."

"He can't." The sureness Aria said this with made his heart skip a beat. "Yes, I feel safe with him but I feel like you and I fit, if that makes sense. I promise you though that I will tell you. I don't want to be the reason for your pain." Jason completely understood. He felt like they fit together since long before he came back to Rosewood. Among all Alison's friends Aria always stood out to him. Even back then she was so full of life and displayed such a sweet demeanor. Sometimes he wondered why the pretty little goth was friends with his sister. Once he returned and saw the young woman she was becoming he could not stop the growing attraction for her. Feeling so free to trust in her only intensified that emotion.

"Thank you." Jason meant it for both the promise and her wish to never be the cause of his pain. "It does make sense." He wanted her to know he felt it too. Whatever it was evolving between them.

He had to break the moment or he was going to kiss her again. The bag Aria dropped moments ago proved to be the perfect way to change topic. Picking it up Jason motioned to his car, "How about I drive you home?" He could not resist spending a little more time with her.

The blush that suffused her cheeks then almost broke him. "Yeah, that would be great." Reminding himself to breathe Jason opened her door for her then shut it once she was inside and got into the car himself to take her home. He was sure that over the next few weeks, months, or however long it took her to let go of her soon to be ex he was going to learn a lot of restraint.


End file.
